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Merit pay for teachers, state aid for nursing homes and a pay cut for lawmakers are among the
issues left to be resolved as House and Senate leaders prepare to work out differences in the
proposed $55.7 billion two-year budget.

The proposed salary reduction for lawmakers is getting a frosty reception.

"I know a lot of people in my caucus who are frankly underpaid," House Speaker William G.
Batchelder said yesterday.

Under the budget passed by the Senate this week, pay for the 99 state representatives and half
the state senators would be cut 5 percent starting in 2013. Cuts for the other half of the Senate
would start in 2015. Base salary for a lawmaker is $60,584 a year. Most earn more through stipends
paid to caucus and committee leaders.

A House-Senate conference committee likely will convene next week to start working out
differences in the two chambers' versions of the budget, which is targeted for legislative approval
and Gov. John Kasich's signature by June 30, when the current two-year budget expires.

Speaking to reporters yesterday, Batchelder suggested there would be much discussion about merit
pay for teachers after the Senate removed a system for evaluating and compensating teachers that
had been inserted by the House.

"Merit pay for teachers is very, very important with my caucus," Batchelder said.

And lawmakers in the House and Senate have been talking about providing more state aid to
nursing homes, which will be cut by $427 million in the next two years.

Batchelder said additional aid is likely to be made available to nursing homes that meet certain
performance criteria.

Meanwhile, advocates for the poor, elderly and disabled are urging lawmakers to provide more
state funding to food pantries, community mental-health services and PASSPORT, the home-care
program for seniors.

The push comes in response to speculation that state revenues are likely to exceed projections,
meaning more money will be available than previously thought.

Kasich is urging lawmakers to keep spending down and use any additional funds for a tax cut next
year or to replenish the state's rainy-day fund.

"Gas prices continue to increase, employment remains stagnant and people are falling deeper into
poverty," said Gayle Channing Tenenbaum, co-chairwoman of Advocates for Ohio's Future. "Investments
in health and human-service supports would give vulnerable Ohioans some much-needed relief as
policymakers work on the budget."

Senate President Tom Niehaus, R-New Richmond, will name his committee members next week. The
chairman and vice chairman of that chamber's Finance Committee, Sens. Chris Widener of Springfield
and Shannon Jones of Springboro, likely will be the Republican team, while Sen. Michael Skindell of
Lakewood will represent Senate Democrats.